108-562: Talbot County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland . As of the 2020 census , the population was 37,526. Its county seat is Easton . The county was named for Lady Grace Talbot, the wife of Sir Robert Talbot , an Anglo- Irish statesman, and the sister of Lord Baltimore . The county is part of the Mid-Eastern Shore region of the state. Talbot County comprises the Easton, MD Micropolitan Statistical Area , which
216-581: A Confederate flag , and bears the inscription: "To the Talbot Boys · 1861–1865 · C.S.A.". Talbot County also had over 300 Union soldiers in the war, but there has never been a monument to them. Like other Confederate monuments installed in the Jim Crow era , the monument drew increased opposition in the 21st century by those opposed to honoring the Confederacy and its defense of slavery. In 2015,
324-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be
432-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has
540-614: A Reputation as Ever belonged to a Human Character. Died April 18, 1786 Aged 42" On his actual grave an inscription reads " In memory of Col. Tench Tilghman who died April 18, 1786 in the 42nd year of his age. Very much lamented. He took an early and active part in the great contest that secured the Independence of the United States of America. He was an Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency General George Washington Commander in Chief of
648-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of
756-465: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it
864-493: A household in the county was $ 43,532, and the median income for a family was $ 53,214. Males had a median income of $ 33,757 versus $ 26,871 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 28,164. About 5.30% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line , including 10.50% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 37,782 people, 16,157 households, and 10,699 families residing in
972-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,
1080-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,
1188-480: A larger reach including most of Talbot and other counties in the mid-shore area. County (United States) In the United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a U.S. state or other territories of the United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county "
SECTION 10
#17327876486721296-462: A majority of one vote. It did so on the condition that its height not exceed that of the Talbot Boys monument. A chapel of ease near the Wye River was likely built soon after the creation of Saint Paul's Parish (Centreville) by the act of establishment of 1692 . The present brick church of Georgian design was built between 1717 and 1721 by William Elbert. Altered in the mid-nineteenth century,
1404-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,
1512-715: A resolution to remove the statue, triggering loud public protests. By 2021, the statue was the only remaining Confederate statue on public grounds in Maryland. In May 2021, the ACLU sued the county in federal court to demand its removal. In September 2021, the County Council voted 3:2 to remove the statue. It was removed on March 14, 2022, and relocated to the Cross Keys battlefield in Harrisonburg, Virginia , under
1620-446: A town around then existing court house with 118 number parcels of land and designated streets, alleys and lanes. Talbottown was to be known as the county seat of Easton . Another act was passed in 1789 to build a larger courthouse on the site of the old one. This court house was completed in 1794 and today parts of it still stand today inside of the present court house. Lt. Col. Tench Tilghman , Gen. George Washington 's aide-de-camp ,
1728-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during
1836-572: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with
1944-648: Is a corruption of "Third Haven", as the Third Haven Meeting House was built at the river's headwaters in 1682. "Third Haven" may be a corruption of "Thread Haven", an early name for the first port established at what is now Oxford, Maryland Of the thirteen Eastons in England, the most important town of that name is situated about one mile (1.6 km) from the head of the Lower Avon. The seat of Talbot County, located one mile (1.6 km) from
2052-528: Is also included in the Washington – Baltimore – Arlington , DC–MD– VA – WV – PA Combined Statistical Area . Talbot County is bordered by Queen Anne's County to the north, Caroline County to the east, Dorchester County to the south, and the Chesapeake Bay to the west. The founding date of Talbot County is not known. It existed by February 12, 1661, when a writ was issued to its sheriff. It
2160-406: Is an unusual case because it encompasses multiple entire counties in one city. Each of those counties is coextensive with one of the five boroughs of the city: Manhattan (New York County), The Bronx (Bronx County), Queens (Queens County), Brooklyn (Kings County), and Staten Island (Richmond County). Tuckahoe Creek Tuckahoe Creek is a 21.5-mile-long (34.6 km) tributary of
2268-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In
SECTION 20
#17327876486722376-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population
2484-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in
2592-778: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by
2700-548: Is one of the few remaining one-room schoolhouses on the Eastern Shore. The school opened in 1865 with the average class size of about 30, and held its last class in 1967. Helen Collins once said "that she remembers going to school at the Little Red School House for primary school." She said, "I remember walking to school at the Little Red School House and after school my classmate and myself would walk to
2808-535: Is only accessible by boat today and is currently being rebuilt by the Army Corps of Engineers. In 1691, King William and Queen Mary appointed Sir Lionel Copely as the first royal governor and told him that the colonists needed to become more religious. The Establishment Act, in 1692, divided Talbot County into three parishes to serve the Church of England , and Old White Marsh was one of them. The location of
2916-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of
3024-562: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same
3132-506: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among
3240-537: Is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses
3348-482: Is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as a matter of U.S. state law , so the specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City
Talbot County, Maryland - Misplaced Pages Continue
3456-652: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in
3564-555: The Choptank River on Maryland's Eastern Shore . It is sometimes (erroneously) referred to as the Tuckahoe River. Upstream of Hillsboro , it forms the boundary between Caroline County and Queen Anne's County , passing through Tuckahoe State Park and dividing the small towns of Queen Anne and Hillsboro. Downstream of Hillsboro, it forms the boundary between Caroline County and Talbot County , before flowing into
3672-458: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to
3780-603: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains
3888-566: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have
3996-576: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left
4104-631: The Talbot County Public Schools district. There are also several private schools within the county. The newspaper of record is The Star Democrat . The county is located in Baltimore 's designated market area, but Salisbury, Maryland and Washington, D.C. stations are also sometimes available. In 2022, WHCP (91.7 FM) won a broadcast license from the FCC to expand from a low-power station reaching 10 miles around Cambridge to
4212-455: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 477 square miles (1,240 km), of which 269 square miles (700 km) is land and 208 square miles (540 km) (44%) is water. It is the third-smallest county in Maryland by land area. U.S. Route 50 is the major highway serving Talbot County. Choptank River takes its name from a tribe of Algonquian -speaking Indians who inhabited both shores of this stream before its settlement by
4320-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with
4428-582: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite
Talbot County, Maryland - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-689: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government
4644-471: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does
4752-478: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia
4860-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant
4968-461: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in
5076-606: The American Armies and was Honoured with his Friendship, Confidence and he was one of those whose merit were Disinguished and Honourable Reward By the Congress But Still more to his Praise He was a Good Man ". Founding Father John Dickinson was born in Trappe in 1732. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass was born into slavery near Tuckahoe Creek around 1817 or 1818. The first established hospital on
5184-997: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,
5292-544: The Civil War, Talbot was a swing county, divided between Unionists and Secessionists . Although it voted Democratic at every election between 1908 and 1924 , it later took decisive steps towards the Republican Party . It surpassed Garrett County as the state's most Republican county in 1976 . Barack Obama came within ten percentage points of reclaiming the county in 2008 . In 2020 , Joe Biden became
5400-600: The Eastern Shore was near McDaniel at Dr. Absolom Thompson farm, the old Mary's Delight Farm. The county has a number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places . The Third Haven Meeting House of Society of Friends was built in 1682 by Quakers . After Charles I was executed in England in 1649, then Virginia Governor Berkley, who sympathized with the Royalists, drove Quakers out of Virginia for their religious beliefs. Lord Baltimore invited
5508-552: The English. They were people of large stature. The Academy of Natural Sciences in Baltimore holds several skeletons of these Indians (taken from an Indian earthwork mound at Sandy Hill on the Choptank) Cambridge that measure nearly 7 feet (210 cm) in height with skulls of unusually large size.} Miles River is a corruption of Saint Michael's River, its original name. In colonial times all grants of land from
SECTION 50
#17327876486725616-648: The Lords Baltimore were in the shape of leases subject to small and nominal ground rents, reserved by the Proprietary, and payable annually at Michaelmas , the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. In the calendar of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches this is observed on September 29. Because of this association, St. Michael was considered to be the patron saint of colonial Maryland, and as such
5724-844: The Provincial Council of Maryland. A commission was issued by Charles Calvert , Esq., Captain General of all the forces within the Province of Maryland, to George Richard as captain of 10 troops of horse to march out of "Choptanck and St. Miles rivers in Talbot County, aforesaid upon any expedition against any Indian enemy whatsoever," etc. At the same time, a similar commission was issued to Hopkin Davis, as Captain of foot in Choptanck and St. Miles rivers. Wye River , which forms
5832-522: The Sunday School is above. St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, which still holds weekly masses, is recognized as the oldest Roman Catholic Church on the Eastern Shore. Father Joseph Mosely, a Jesuit , established the church in 1765 on a farm north of Easton in Cordova . St. Joseph Church was the second Catholic Church in Talbot County; a chapel at Doncaster was the first. Father Mosley explained
5940-655: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by
6048-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number
6156-479: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while
6264-690: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in
6372-489: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county
6480-469: The birth of Talbot dating April 25, 1662. Talbot County was granted a charter form of government in 1973. The Talbot County Council has five members elected to four-year terms. The council president and vice president are elected yearly. As of 2022 the current council president is Chuck Callahan (R), and the County Manager is Clay B. Stamp. The current sheriff is Joe Gamble. In the years following
6588-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called
SECTION 60
#17327876486726696-491: The center of the whole that was to be tended. I purchased the land, and took possession in March following. The church had additions built in 1845 and in 1903 (the cloverleaf apse at the left where the altar is now). Father Mosley and other priest are buried under the church floor. St. Joseph Church hosts an annual Jousting Tournament the first Wednesday of August. Bob Connolly of Easton said "the event has been at St. Joseph for
6804-543: The chapel was restored in Georgian Revival style in 1947-49 by the firm Perry, Shaw, and Hepburn (who also directed much of the early restoration of Colonial Williamsburg ). The church is actively used today, one of two churches in Wye Parish. Old Wye Church (or Saint Luke's Church) is the oldest surviving brick church in Talbot County. The Talbot County Council issued a proclamation on April 19, 1983, as to
6912-650: The church was to be in Hambleton, with the decision based upon the trade routine of the time. It was between the two ports in Oxford and Dover (small town on the Choptank near where Dover Bridge today sits). The original church is believed to have been built between 1662 and 1665; however, the first mention of the church is in 1690, although the Talbot County Court House has a record of repair made to
7020-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,
7128-489: The constitution of everyone who went down to it; although it was but twice a year, except calls to the sick. I was deputed in August 1764 to settle a new place in the midst of this mission’ accordingly, I set off for those parts of the country; I examined the situation of every congregation within sixty miles of it; and, before the end of the year, I came across the very spot, as providence would have it, with land to be sold, nigh
7236-590: The control of the nonprofit Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. Near the Talbot Boys monument, a statue of the abolitionist Frederick Douglass , born into slavery near Tuckahoe Creek , stands in front of the courthouse. Douglass had been held in the jail at the rear of the courthouse after his aborted attempt to escape slavery on April 2, 1836. The Douglass statue was proposed by the Talbot Historical Society in 2002. The County Council approved it in 2004, after some local opposition, with
7344-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration
7452-463: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in
7560-680: The county once Queen Anne's County received their charter and was lopped off of Talbot County. Pitts' Bridge was just north of the Quaker Meeting House, but most importantly, it faced the Indian trail (Washington Street – Easton). After the American Revolutionary War in 1786, Act to Assemble in Annapolis appointed John Needles to survey and "to erect a town in Talbot County to be called Talbottown"—laying out
7668-435: The county. The population density was 126 people per square mile (49 people/km). There were 16,500 housing units at an average density of 61 per square mile (24/km). People self-identified as to racial or ethnic ancestry by the following: 81.98% White , 15.36% Black or African American , 0.18% Native American , 0.80% Asian , 0.13% Pacific Islander , 0.77% from other races , and 0.78% from two or more races. 1.82% of
7776-418: The county. The population density was 140.7 inhabitants per square mile (54.3/km). There were 19,577 housing units at an average density of 72.9 per square mile (28.1/km). The racial makeup of the county was 81.4% white, 12.8% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.7% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.5% of
7884-489: The first Democratic presidential nominee to carry Talbot County since Lyndon Johnson 's 1964 landslide and the second since Franklin Roosevelt in 1936 . In the 2022 Maryland elections , Democratic governor Wes Moore and Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen also carried Talbot county while winning statewide. In 2024 , Republican Donald Trump flipped back Talbot County, winning it by just 6 votes. According to
7992-650: The floor of the church. Robert Morris Sr., merchant and father of founding father Robert Morris , is buried just outside the church to the left. Plaques show the graves of all three individuals. From 1916 to 2022, a statue honoring the Talbot County men who fought in the Confederate States Army in the American Civil War stood in front of the Talbot County Courthouse . The statue is of a young boy holding and wrapped in
8100-400: The foundation in a letter to his sister: It's a Mission that ought to have been settled above these sixty years past by means of the immense trouble and excessive rides it hade given our gentlemen that lived next to it; till these days no one would undertake it, wither for want to resolution of fear of the trouble, notwithstanding it had contributed to the death of several of ours and had broken
8208-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both
8316-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which
8424-626: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;
8532-465: The headwaters of Tred Avon River, changed its name from Talbot Court House to Easton in 1788 following the American Revolutionary War , as a reference to the English town. In colonial days, many merchant vessels traded between Oxford and Bristol, England , near which Easton is located. Many of the early settlers of Talbot County emigrated from this area. As of the census of 2000, there were 33,812 people, 14,307 households, and 9,628 families residing in
8640-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as
8748-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City
8856-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by
8964-476: The local N.A.A.C.P. chapter proposed removing the statue, but the County Council unanimously voted to keep it in place. In June 2020, a lengthy series of letters to the editor of The Talbot Spy , a local newspaper, was published, all arguing for the removal of the statue. In August 2020, after the George Floyd protests led to a new wave of removals of Confederate monuments , the County Council voted down 3:2
9072-686: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to
9180-631: The new Christ Church in the growing county seat at Easton. Services finally ended at White Marsh, and the church was abandoned after it burned in brush fire during a cleanup operation in 1897. A few of the original items used at the church rest at the St. Paul's Church in Trappe: White Marsh's Bible, communion items and the old wooden alms box. The remaining brick wall can still be seen from U.S. Route 50 between Trappe and Easton. The first rector, Reverend Daniel Maynadier, and his wife are buried in
9288-521: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name
9396-590: The northern boundary of Talbot County, was named by Edward Lloyd, a Welsh immigrant who took up large tracts of land along its southern shores before the laying out of Talbot County. He named it for the River Wye , noted for its sinuosity , whose source is near that of the River Severn , near a mountain in Wales. He named his homestead Wye House , which was owned by nine generations of Lloyds. Tred Avon River
9504-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control
9612-566: The oldest framed building for religious meeting in The United States. According to tradition, Lord Baltimore attended a sermon given there by William Penn . In 1794, the rafters were extended on one side of the ridgepole. While this extension made more room inside the meeting house, it also made the building look lopsided, as seen in the photo. In 1879, a new Third Haven Meeting House was constructed out of brick, and remains in use today. The ground floor now contains meeting rooms, and
9720-603: The past 142 years. The only time the event was canceled was in 1918, due to many of the riders' involvement in World War I." Lewis Plugge a Cordova resident has jousted at St. Joseph for 40 years, and remembered going to Old St. Jose (locals call the church) and "loading up the horses in the back of a farm truck because we did not own a horse trailer." Jousting is also Maryland's official state sport. Longwoods School House or The Little Red School House located on Longwoods Road (Route 662) just north of Easton. Longwoods School House
9828-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of
9936-505: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of those who identified as white, 18.2% were of English , 15.5% German , 11.3% Irish and 11.1% American ancestry. There were 14,307 households, out of which 26.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.40% were married couples living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.70% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.00% had someone living alone who
10044-425: The population. In terms of ancestry, 21.7% were German , 18.8% were English , 18.2% were Irish , and 8.6% were American . Of the 16,157 households, 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.8% were non-families, and 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size
10152-859: The refugees to Maryland Province to settle, and passed the Toleration Act . John Edmondson gave the Quakers land on which to settle near the Tred Avon River in what later became the town now known as Easton, Maryland . The Meeting House sits on high ground surrounded by 3 wooded acres and is positioned along the Indian Trail (today known as Washington Street). George Fox , father of the Quaker movement visited several times. Upon his death, Third Haven Meeting House received his personal library and collection. The Third Haven Meeting House may be
10260-582: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there
10368-587: The road to Old White Marsh Church in 1687. In 1751, repairs were made to the church, and it was doubled in size due to the fact the membership was so large. Reverend Thomas Bacon was the cause of the large membership. Reverend Bacon was the writer of the Bacon's Laws. Membership decreased when Reverend Bacon left to assume leadership of Maryland's largest parish (at that time), All Saints Church in Frederick, Maryland , and services alternated between White Marsh and
10476-492: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by
10584-420: The store across the road and buy a pop." It once had two outhouses: one for the boys and one for the girls, separated by a fence. Indoor plumbing was introduced in 1957 and electricity in 1936. The Talbot Historical Society restored the schoolhouse to it original form, removing the electrical lights and the modern plumbing and added the outhouse to the back of the building. Popeley Island (later Poplar Island )
10692-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than
10800-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,
10908-476: Was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.80. The median age was 47.4 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 63,017 and the median income for a family was $ 76,007. Males had a median income of $ 48,387 versus $ 38,627 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 37,958. About 4.3% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over. Schools are part of
11016-457: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.82. In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.70% under the age of 18, 5.60% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 27.20% from 45 to 64, and 20.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 91.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.60 males. The median income for
11124-880: Was born on Fausley in Talbot County on December 25, 1744. He died on April 18, 1786, and is buried in Oxford, Maryland . On the monument at the grave site, an inscription reads: " Tench Tilghman Lt. Col. in the Continental Army And Aid de-camp of Washington Who spoke Him thus: He was in Every Action in which the Main Army was concerned a great part of the Time. He refused to receive Pay. While living no man could be more Esteemed and since dead none more Lamented than Col. Tilghman. No one had imbibed Sentiments of greater Friendship for Him than I had done. He left as Fair
11232-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,
11340-462: Was honored by the river being named for him. A large colony of Quakers were among the earliest settlers in Talbot County; as they had no reverence for saints, they persisted in dropping the word saint and calling the river Michaels River. It gradually became known as Miles. As early as 1667, six years after the laying out of Talbot County, references to these names are found in the Proceedings of
11448-481: Was initially divided into nine Hundreds and three parishes: St. Paul's, St. Peter's and St. Michael's. In 1667, the first meeting of Commissions was held in the home known as Widow Winkles on the Skipton Creek near the town of York. The town of York was vacated once the courthouse was to be built on Armstrongs Old Field in 1709 near Pitts' Bridge. The new courthouse designated because York was too far north in
11556-598: Was off the island on an expedition, Native Americans , the Nanticoke tribe, massacred Thompson's whole family and workers. Through the 1700s the name changed spelling from Popeleys to Poples to Poplar. Thompson went back to Virginia and never came back to his island. Everyone forgot who Lt. Richard Popeley was, and the name Poplar Island stuck. In 1654 Thomas Hawkins acquired the Poplar Island and sold half to Seth Foster, Tilghman Island founding father. Poplar Island
11664-590: Was one of Talbot County's first islands that was given and name and location on a map. Popeley Island was given its name by Captain William Claibourne after Lt. Richard Popeley. Popeley Island was the first land to be settled in 1632 by Captain William Claibourne. The first fields were planted in Talbot County on Popeley Island in 1634, and in 1635 Claibourne granted the whole island to his cousin Richard Thompson. The summer of 1637, while Thompson
#671328